Socket device



A. PLOGER SOCKET DEVICE Jan" 14, 1935.

Filed Oct. 20, 1931 Patented it... 14, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SOCKET DEVICE Application October 20, 1931, Serial No. 570,012 4 Claims. (01. 173-328) This invention relates to socket devices and especially to radio tube sockets, and has for its chief object the provision of an improved socket device of simple construction.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a socket device having an improved feature which insures positivetelectrical contact between the radio tube prongs and the socket. contact elements. To carry out this object, at least one and preferably a pair of extending winglike stop arms are provided to limit the movement of the depending resilient contact portion of each socket element. The stop arm or stop arms may be arranged in different positions on different portions of the socket element, as will appear hereinafter.

A clear understanding of the improved socket, as well as the manner of constructing and using the same, may be had from the following detailed description together with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a complete socket adapted for use with a radio tube having five prongs;

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the device of Fig. 1 with the tube removed;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the contact elements of the device;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken through the center of one of the contact elements;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of one of the contact elements; and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a modified form of contact element.

Referring to the various views of the drawing, there is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a specific form of socket which includes five contact elements ll mounted upon the usual insulating mounting panel or base 2 in proper relation to apertures 3 of the base. This particular form of device is adapted to receive a radio tube 4 having five prongs 5 which extend through the base apertures to contact the contact elements. These elements are riveted or otherwise suitably attached to the underside of the mounting base.

In Fig. 3, the specific construction of one of the contact elements of the socket assembly is shown in detail. Each of these elements comprises essentially a seat portion 6 adapted for positioning adjacent the underside of base 2 and for attachment thereto and an integral angularly depending contact portion 1. While it is preferable and desired to form the contact element somewhat in the shape of an inverted U, so as to provide a depending integral solder lug 8 extending from seat portion 6, the element may take other forms and any other provision for electrical connection thereto may be utilized. The construction of the solder lug may be varied. For example, instead of having a rela- 5 tively short lug with an aperture therein, as illustrated, an elongated lug with a bendable tab for embracing a conductor could be used. The resilient depending contact portion 1 extends from the seat portion into the path of a 10 tube prong. In the present instance, this contact portion is shown as having a pair of integral oppositely disposed wing-like extensions 9 turned up laterally thereon, such extensions being provided with sharp edges adapted to bite into the tube prong as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. Any other construction affording the desired contact engagement between portion l and the tube prong may be utilized.

With each of the socket elements constructed as illustrated and described above, there is tendency for the tube prongs to push the resilient contact portion 1 backward. As a result of this tendency, one or more of the contact elements will ofttimes fail to make proper contact with the tube prong, especially after long continued use and the repeated removal and insertion of different tubes. The failure of any of the contact elements to make theproper contact renders the tube inoperative and therefore renders the system with which it is associated either partially or wholly inoperative. In attempting to remedy this, it is extremely difiicult to determine which of the multiplicity of contact elements used in the average receiving set are not making proper contact.

In order to eliminate this undesirable occurrence, the present invention contemplates the provision of one or more wing-like stop arms I0 suitably arranged to limit the backward movement of the contact portion. While one such stop arm arranged either centrally or to one side would suflice, it is preferred to have one formed integrally on each side of the contactportion. These arms are so dimensioned that the upper ends thereof abut against the underside of base 2 adjacent the seat portion 6 of the contact element when contact portion 1 is forced backward a predetermined extent. In other words, the stop arms prevent the contact portions of the socket elements from being pushed out of the path of the tube prongs and thus insure positive electrical contact at all times. Since the arms are relatively rigid with respect to the longitudinal force exerted thereon by backward movement of contact portion I, they serve their intended purpose in a highly desirable manner. I Obviously, the ends of these arms could be made to contact the undersurface of seat portion 6 of the socket element itself if desired.

The invention contemplates the location of the stop arm or stop arms on any portion of the socket element. In Fig. 6, there is shown a 'modiflcation in which a pair of stop arms Hla are formed integrally with the seat portion 6 and extend downward therefrom, the free ends of the arms being disposed so as to be engaged by the contact portion to limit its backward movement. While the stop arms could be formed integrally with the solder lug, the resiliency of the lug would make this location of the arms least desirable.

In order to prevent rotary movement of the socket elements with respect to mounting panel 2, the rivet receiving holes of the panel are provided with opposite side notches (not visible) and seat portion 6 of each socket element has prongs or detents ll turned up thereon on opr posite sides of the rivet hole. The detents extend into the notches of the mounting panel to firmly secure the elements against rotary movement.

It will be apparent that a device constructed as illustrated and described may be formed of a single sheet or blank of metal which is first stamped out and cut and then bent to the shape desired. Obviously, the device may be manufactured at a low cost and is, therefore, commercially desirable. Various changes in the details of construction may, of course, be resorted to so long as the essential features are incorporated in the device. Only such limitations, therefore, as are included in the appended claims are to be placed upon the invention.

I claim:

1. In a socket device for radio tubes or the like, an insulating base having an opening for the reception of a contact prong, and a socket element attached to said base in cooperative relation with said opening, said socket element being formed of resilient sheet metal, and having a seat portion attached to said base, a contact portion extending from said seat portion at an angle thereto into the path of said prong, resilient contact means carried by and projecting from said contact portion, and a rigid stop arm extending obliquely from one of said portions toward the other of said portions and forming with said portions a generally triangular formation, said stop arm being rigid throughout and serving as a brace to limit positively movement of said contact portion.

2. In a socket device for radio tubes or the like, an insulating base having an opening for the reception of a contact prong, and a socket element attached to said base in cooperative relation with said opening, said socket element being formed from a single blank of resilient sheet metal, and having a seat portion with a face thereof engaging said base, a contact portion extending from an edge of said seat portion at an angle to said seat portion into the path of said prong, resilient contact means car ried by and projecting from said contact portion, and a pair of flat stop arms extending obliquely from opposite edges of one of said portions toward the other of said portions and forming with said portions generally triangular formations, said stop arms having their flat faces entirely in planes perpendicular to the planes of the faces of said portions and serving as rigid braces to limit positively movement of said contact portion.

3. In a socket device for radio tubes or the like, an insulating base having an opening for the reception of a contact prong, and a socket element attached to said base in cooperative relation with said opening, said socket element being formed from a single blank of resilient sheet metal, and having a seat portion with a face thereof engaging said base, a contact portion extending angularly from an edge of said seat portion at an obtuse angle to said seat portion into the path of said prong, a pair of resilient contact wings carried by said contact portion,

stop arms having their fiat faces entirely in planes perpendicular to the planes of the faces of said portions and presenting edgewise resistance to movement of said contact portion to prevent such movement.

4. In a socket device for radio tubes or the like, an insulating base having an opening for the reception of a contact prong, and a socket clement attached to said base in cooperative relation with said opening, said socket element being formed from a single blank of resilient sheet metal, and having a seat portion with a face thereof engaging said base, a contact portion extending angularly from an edge of said seat portion at an obtuse angle to said seat portion into the path of said prong, a pair of resilient contact wings carried by said contact portion, and a pair of flat stop arms extending obliquely from opposite edges of said seat portion toward said contact portion and forming with said portions generally triangular formations, said,

stop arms having their fiat faces entirely in planes perpendicular to the planes of the faces of said portions and presenting edgewise resistance to movement of said contact portion to prevent such movement.

ALFRED PLOGER. 

